Picture a debt connected to a property. A lien is a charge or claim against property that secures payment or performance of an obligation. Follow the connection: an obligation, a claim against the property, and possible enforcement if the obligation is not met. The lien is not the same thing as ownership or possession. A specific lien attaches to identified property. A general lien may reach a debtor's property within its lawful scope. Priority depends on the kind of lien and the governing rules, not a single rule for every situation. Quick check: is a lien itself the same as owning the property? No. It is a claim securing an obligation, with rights determined by the governing law.